National Parks of the American West

Trip Overview

Enjoy the insights of knowledgeable scientists during guided walks along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and through the forests of Sequoia National Park.
Gaze through the high-powered telescopes at historic Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff on a behind-the-scenes tour.
Walk the floor of awe-inspiring Antelope Canyon with a Navajo guide.
Discover the glacially carved landscapes of Yosemite National Park, and hike trails to breathtaking views of Half Dome and El Capitan.

Itinerary

From Death Valley to the Grand Canyon, the American West features an astonishing array of geological extremes. Journey to seven incredible national parks in Utah, Arizona, and California, and gain new perspectives from scientists, naturalists, and other local experts along the way. Peer up at Sequoia’s General Sherman—the planet’s largest known living single-stem tree—and wade through the spectacular Narrows slot canyon. Step into the stunning natural sandstone cathedral of Antelope Canyon alongside a Navajo guide, and experience the sweeping majesty of the Grand Canyon and Yosemite. Cap off the adventure amid the urban vitality of San Francisco.

This trip is operated in collaboration with G Adventures.

Arrive at any time.

Depart for the sandstone slot canyons of Zion, Utah's oldest national park, where monumental cliffs of cream, pink, and red pierce the sky. In the afternoon we get our first glimpse of the park as we hike along The Watchman Trail. This unpaved trail climbs 368 ft (112 m) to a magnificent viewpoint of the Watchman, Temples and Towers, lower Zion Canyon, and the Town of Springdale.

Meals Included:Breakfast

Set out on an unforgettable guided hike to the famed Narrows. Splash, wade, and swim in the cool water of the river that cuts through this stunning slot canyon. Soak up the beauty of the high plateaus, towers, temples, mesas, and some of the planet’s tallest sheer sandstone walls.

Meals Included:Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, hike through Bryce Canyon National Park, famed for its maze of multi-coloured rock pinnacles called hoodoo. Keep your camera at the ready to snap shots of these spectacular natural towers that cover the canyon floor. Continue on to Page, Arizona, the gateway to Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and the beautiful Lake Powell.

Meals Included:Breakfast

Accommodations:La Quinta Inn & Suites Page at Lake Powell (or similar)

Join a local Navajo guide for a thrilling exploration of Antelope Canyon, a stunning natural sandstone cathedral located on Navajo land and accessible only with an authorized guide. Later, go on a short hike to Horseshoe Bend, and stand on steep vermillion cliffs overlooking a spectacular natural bend in the Colorado River. Enjoy lunch at a family-owned Navajo food truck, a G Adventures–supported project, before continuing on to the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon.

Meals Included:Breakfast, Lunch

Spend the day exploring this ancient gorge with an expert from the Grand Canyon Conservancy Field Institute. Set out on foot along the South Rim and gain insights on the unique geology and botany of this geological phenomenon, as well as the local human history. After, view iconic park structures at the Historic Village District, then descend below the canyon rim along the Bright Angel Trail to see 2,000-year-old rock art and 250-million-year-old fossils.

Meals Included:Breakfast

This morning, visit Lowell Observatory for a tour of the giant telescopes and to learn about the study of astronomy, and enjoy a lecture. Continue back to Las Vegas, but not before getting your kicks on Route 66 in Seligman, Arizona — the birthplace of this famed highway.

Meals Included:Breakfast

Accommodations:Golden Nugget - Gold Tower (or similar)

Enjoy a scenic drive through the desert to Death Valley National Park—the lowest, hottest, and driest place in North America. Experience the extremes of this landscape as you pass through the multi-hued badlands of Twenty Mule Team Canyon and descend into Badwater Basin, cradled 282 feet below sea level. Cap off the day at Zabriskie Point as the sun sets over the distinctive Furnace Creek formation.

Meals Included:Breakfast

Accommodations:Furnace Creek Ranch (or similar)

Begin the day searching for animal tracks amid the otherworldly landscape of Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, where shifting sands soar up to 100 feet high. Then discover Father Crowley Vista Point, where an easy hike offers an epic payoff: a sweeping view over Rainbow Canyon and Panamint Valley. Keep an eye out for fighter jets practicing between the cliffs. Continue around the Sierra Nevada mountains to California’s Sequoia National Park.

Meals Included:Breakfast

Enjoy a full day to explore the legendary trees of Sequoia National Park. Walk in the shadow of its formidable giants—including General Sherman, the planet’s largest known living single-stem tree—alongside a naturalist from Sequoia Parks Conservancy. On an afternoon hike along Big Tree Trail, hear how, in 1916, National Geographic deeded tracts of giant trees here to the National Parks Service for safekeeping. This evening, return to the park for an evening of stargazing with a local expert; or, if skies are cloudy, set out on a nighttime walk to witness nocturnal life.

Meals Included:Breakfast

Embark on a spectacular drive, watching as the scenery changes from towering sequoias to one of the deepest canyons in the United States. On a journey from Grant Grove to Cedar Grove, be awed by the glacially carved Kings Canyon, and keep an eye out for the endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep and other majestic wildlife.

Meals Included:Breakfast

Head north through the Sierras to the south entrance of Yosemite National Park, a natural wonderland of picturesque valleys and ancient granite formations.

Meals Included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, join a Yosemite Conservancy naturalist on a guided excursion around the park, gaining an insider’s perspective on the human, natural, and geological history of the region. Hike through the heart of Yosemite while hearing about its flora and fauna, and learn how this rugged backcountry became the U.S.’s first protected state park in 1864—and, with the help of John Muir, a national park in 1890. Enjoy the rest of the day on your own; choose your own adventure amid majestic waterfalls, crystal-clear lakes, lush meadows, and pristine groves. Keep an eye out for glacial erratics, rock climbers, and a diversity of wildlife. Opt to visit the Ansel Adams Studio or relax by the river with Half Dome as the backdrop.

Meals Included:Breakfast

Pass through the Central Valley of California, stopping at a local farm stand to sample some of the region's best produce. Drive over the Bay Bridge on the way into one of America's most vibrant cities, San Francisco, where your CEO-led guided driving tour of the city begins. Make a visit to Haight-Ashbury, Golden Gate Park, walk across a portion of the spectacular Golden Gate Bridge, Continue past the Palace of Fine Arts and Union Square en route to our hotel. This evening, consider joining an optional sunset sail in the San Francisco Bay, departing from Fisherman’s Wharf to glide past notorious Alcatraz Island and underneath the spectacular Golden Gate Bridge.

Meals Included:Breakfast

Depart at any time.

Meals Included:Breakfast